Discover spiders and friends at Oregon Ridge Nature Center

by atom bash

Like Miss Muffet many of us are frightened by spiders; especially by the way they mechanically walk along their webs. In fictional novels such as Tolkien’s The Hobbit, giant spiders are nasty foes. The reality is that spiders are actually quite beneficial in nature. Check out Oregon Ridge Nature Center to discover the real spiders.

Itsy Bitsy SpidersOn Saturday, October 24 or Sunday, October 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Oregon Ridge Nature Center is offering Itsy Bitsy Spiders, a program suitable for children 8 and older.

The cost is $2.00 for members and $3.00 for non-members. Pre-registration is required as walk-ins are not allowed. Call 410-887-1815 to register.

Oregon Ridge Nature Center is a great place to learn about local wildlife and plants as well as local history. Animal exhibits house a variety of local wildlife, such as live snakes, amphibians, fish, turtles and other critters.

It also offers many weekend programs and special events that educate all ages about nature, natural science, and history. Some topics include Native Americans, campfires and canoeing, wildflowers, reptiles and amphibians, birding and others.

Some popular special events include the Honey Harvest, Music in the Woods, and Maple Sugar Weekends, and more.

Where the Nature Center now sits there was an iron-smelting furnace that operated from 1844-1858. Nearby a tenant village developed that was occupied by iron workers, who were mostly Irish immigrants and freed slaves.

Oregon Ridge Park is open from sunrise to sunset all year round. Currently the Nature Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but is closed on Mondays.

The park offers year round recreational opportunities – both woods and water. It offers five miles of hiking trails, fitness areas, an accessible playground, and a beach. There is freshwater lake (once a marble quarry now filled by water) with a beach on park grounds available for aquatic recreation.

Become a park member by clicking here for the membership form.

So check out Oregon Ridge Nature Center for Itsy Bitsy Spiders on Saturday, October 24 or Sunday, October 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Further information about the Oregon Ridge Nature Center and Oregon Ridge Park can be found at the links below.